Donny Benet
Full Rig Details: https://www.premierguitar.com/videos/rig-rundown/donny-benet
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There\u2019s comical bands (Gwar), there\u2019s parody bands (Steel Panther), and there\u2019s clever combinations of both (Mac Sabbath). The Italian-Australian Donny Ben\xe9t is none of those and all of those at the same time. His polished compositions, breezy rhythms, and funky fretwork are no laughing matter. Instead, Donny is the joke \u2026 or is he?
\u201cI thought, \u201cWhat would I think if I saw some bald, chubby dude shredding on bass and fretless?\u2019 I\u2019d be like \u2018hell yeah,\u2019 so I might as well be the guy that\u2019ll do it,\u201d explains Ben\xe9t.
Donny (born Ben Waples) is from a musical family in Sydney, Australia. He grew up performing on several instruments, became classically trained on piano, and earned a master\u2019s degree in double bass. The fluent musician started a career as a jazz bassist for various artists in Sydney, and eventually shifted to an experimental jazz/electronica band, Triosk. While both endeavors were challenging and rewarding, Ben wasn\u2019t having fun. After Triosk disbanded, Waples continued writing and recording on his own. It started with Cubase and a Line 6 DL4 that gave him 48-second loops. He started making \u201cDonny Ben\xe9t\u201d joke songs. His friends and family continued encouraging him to make more, and before he knew it he had enough material to create Don\u2019t Hold Back. (To this day he still records all the parts except saxophone, played by his brother Daniel Waples.) And through his passion for creating music combined with his love for \u201970s funk and R&B\u2014he mentions his introduction to electric bass was via a VHS tape featuring Larry Graham, Bernard Edwards, and Nile Rodgers\u2014infused with the aesthetic and aura of Itala-disco performers, Donny Ben\xe9t was born.
\u201cI\u2019m a seriously trained jazz musician in a prior life, and I try not to take myself too seriously now, but I\u2019m deadly serious about taking the piss out of myself. I like humor, but I definitely don\u2019t make joke music,\u201d states Ben\xe9t.
Since 2011, he\u2019s released six albums, all showing an evolution and refinement of the Don. Each release has revealed a new part of Benet\u2019s infinite swagger, blending influences of Prince, Alan Vega, Lou Reed, Tom Jones, and, of course, James Jamerson, \u201cDuck\u201d Dunn, and the funk forefathers. Yes, Donny B can sweep you off your feet, but that\u2019s because one thing reigns supreme\u2014the music.
\u201cWith Donny I\u2019ve always taken the approach of \u2018what would I listen to?\u2019 I started there and I continue to follow it. If no one likes it, that\u2019s fine, so long as I like it. If someone else likes it, even better,\u201d says Ben\xe9t.
Before his headlining gig at Nashville\u2019s Basement East, Donny B welcomed PG\u2019s Chris Kies onstage to chat about his minimal-but-musical setup. Ben\xe9t explains the origins of \u201cDonny,\u201d covers his custom Furlanetto 4-string and why he calls it \u201cprobably the best live instrument I got,\u201d and discusses scoring tons of gear when the exchange rate presents deals.
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0:00 - D'Addario Pedalboard Essentials
0:15 - Chris Kies Intro
0:49 - Donny Ben\xe9t Intro
1:42 - Donny Ben\xe9t Origins
8:55 - Custom Furlanetto "F Bass" VF4
13:39 - D'Addario & Rig Rundown
14:11 -...